Solomon Hill was not crazy about being a member of the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants for a week, but there is nothing about the rest of his first pro season that he would change.

Hill did not enjoy how he was used — or hardly used — during a two-game D-League assignment, but the former Arizona Wildcats star relishes being an Indiana Pacers rookie even with just 16 brief appearances.

Hill, the draft’s No. 23 pick in June, just looks at Indiana’s league-best record and around the locker room to understand he is in the right place.

“I look at the continued success of Roy Hibbert, Lance Stephenson and Paul George,” Hill said. “They were drafted here. Danny Granger. The years they’ve had since their rookie year. Lance didn’t play his rookie year. Paul wasn’t where he is his rookie year. They just stayed with it. So that’s what I’m going to do. I want to stay with it. It’s hard to complain on the best team in the NBA.”

At Arizona, Hill was known for maturity beyond his years and that has held true as a 22-year-old Pacers rookie.

“He’s a man,” Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. “For a rookie, he’s not a kid. He’s very mature. He’s got a solid game. Very confident. Baseball teams have prospects from a farm system that they’re excited about. We’re excited about Solomon.”

Hill was a surprise pick at No. 23 after second-round projections, but he fits the Indiana franchise.

He could have dropped and played more for a lesser team but going to a team-oriented, winning team made for an easy transition after UA.

“You’re not part of a winning organization and things might not turn out your way,” Hill said.

“You might be out there playing 40 minutes but taking a lot of losses. I’m used to playing with a winning program. Patience is everything here. I’m just happy to be out there with these guys.”

With Indiana getting routed 124-100 at Phoenix on Wednesday night, Hill played the final six minutes for his first appearance since Dec. 8.

A defensive model

There is not a team in the NBA that would not like to play defense like the Pacers.

The Suns’ defense has improved to rank 11th in opponent field-goal percentage, but the staff wants more fighting over screens and fewer blow-bys in isolation.

“You just want to be consistently solid all the time, and that’s what they (the Pacers) are,” Suns coach Jeff Hornacek said.

Injured Suns co-captain Eric Bledsoe does those things as well as any guard.

Entering Wednesday, the Suns had allowed 46.7 percent shooting in the past 10 games without Bledsoe. That would rank fifth worst in the NBA for the season.

“Our defense has been OK at times but not as good as when Eric was in,” Hornacek said.

Vogel talks on Suns

Vogel knows two Suns and an ex-Suns player well.

On Suns swingman and ex-Pacer Gerald Green: “You got to give it to Coach Hornacek that he’s using him the right way. They’ve got a great system. A spread pick-and-roll always favors guys like Gerald and shooters on the perimeter. He’s found a better niche. … The depth we had on this team, I don’t know where Gerald was going to play.”

On Suns center and ex-Pacer Miles Plumlee: “To get to bang against a guy like Roy (Hibbert) can build your toughness, and that’s paid dividends for Miles. To watch Roy protect in the pick-and-roll game, just watching Miles a lot this morning (on video) with his defense and coverages, I think he’s really sharp with how he guards the pick-and-rolls and what we call the drop. I think he learned a lot from Roy about that and I think the weak-side shot-blocking has helped someone like Miles being around someone like Roy. … That’s the way we raised him.”

On Pacers power forward and ex-Suns player Luis Scola: “He does all the little things to win. Shares it when he’s supposed to share it. He crashes. He commits to playing hard every possession. He doesn’t take possessions off. Every shot goes up, he crashes. Every shot that goes up defensively, he boxes out on every shot and pursues. He changes ends. He’s not the fastest guy but he’s the most persistent runner on the team. His jump shot is something you trust. He can make plays when there is nothing happening on a possession.”

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